Anyone for chips?

The spiralling cost and short supply of microchips – something the tech journalists have dubbed ‘RAMageddon’ – has the Unexpected Elements team investigating all things chip-related. We start things off by finding out about a mini cervix-on-a-chip and how this could help us better understand premature birth. We then feel a little salty when we discover that chips (also known as fries) may create cancer-causing acrylamides when cooked. Should we be worried? Next up, Professor Paul Graham from the University of Sussex reveals why gulls love to steal your chips, and (crucially) tells us how to defend our dinner. Plus, the world’s largest whale graveyard, the health benefits of the humble spud and why some people are better at napping than others. All that, plus many more Unexpected Elements. Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Katie Silver and Kai Kupferschmidt Producers: Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, with Sophie Ormiston and Robbie Wojciechowski